


Enclosed Space

by modelmagic



Category: Angry Birds - All Media Types
Genre: AU where chuck notices that red left the speed dating and goes to talk to him, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-05
Updated: 2020-02-05
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22576669
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/modelmagic/pseuds/modelmagic
Summary: “Why’d you just leave the speed dating event?! Wasn’t it fun?! It was fun!”“Aww. Good for you.” Tilting his head, Red smiled at Chuck condescendingly. “Maybe you should go back, like right now.“
Relationships: Chuck/Red (Angry Birds)
Comments: 9
Kudos: 93





	Enclosed Space

“...To get to the other side!” Laughing hysterically, Chuck managed to finish his joke just in time to hear the chirping that signaled it was time to move to a different table. Getting there in the blink of an eye, he waited for his current date to sit.

As someone who was always eager to talk to others, the idea of speed dating seemed perfect for him, right down to the ‘speed’ part. Most of the time, he wouldn’t even see the birds he was paired up with as potential romantic partners, he simply wanted to make them laugh, and that was the joy he found in these types of events. Though, sometimes others took _so long_ to walk from table to table. Like, what are you doing if you take more than two seconds to move from one table to the next?!

Impatiently tapping his foot on the ground, he observed his surroundings. The overall setup of the event was lovely, really what tied it all together were the dangling lights and the pink, heart-shaped balloons within the night. Aside from that, and of course, aside from eyeing some birds whom he hoped he’d get paired up with next, he tried looking for his buddies.

Scanning the area while slowly turning his head, his thoughts were ‘ _Nope, not Bomb, not Bomb, not Bomb, not- Oh?!_ ’ He saw a bird facing away, who weirdly kinda looked like his sister, braids and all, but he shrugged it off; knowing that his baby sister would never be here, and babies weren’t allowed at speed dating events (except for the host’s hatchling, who was in charge of the chirping). She was probably being her baby self and reading a book at her dorm.

Anyway, he went back to looking for the other two members of his crew. He already knew that Bomb was using his smoothest pick-up lines, if what he could hear earlier from a few tables away was any indication. Eating worms and talking about dirt were solid talking points. Though, now that he paid attention to more of his environment, he _did_ see a table covered in dirt... Bomb may have gotten the two confused.

Oh, well. Bomb managed to date surprisingly often, more so than Chuck himself, so it wouldn’t be a big deal if he flopped here. What _did_ matter in this was Red, though.

Wait.

Where _was_ Red, though?

He looked around, he ran around, but no sign of Red. Oh, no. Now having found Bomb, Chuck ran towards him, his sudden manifestation frightening his friend’s date. “You seen Red anywhere? I mean, I ran everywhere, so I have a better chance at finding him than you, but _still._ Don’t tell me he went home...”

“Haven’t seen him.” Bomb shrugged. “Also, I’m kinda in the middle of something, bud...” He gestured towards the lady sitting across from him, who raised an eyebrow at the yellow bird.

Chuck remembered where he was supposed to be. “Right!” He zoomed back to his table, where his date was already seated. _“Hi, myname’sChuck. I’msureyou’reverynice, loveyourfeathers, butI’mdoingsomethingelsebye.”_ He ran back to Bomb’s table, where his date seemed outright annoyed now, for whatever reason. “I know my Red, and he’s probably being all grumpy-wumpy back at his place. He didn’t wanna talk to me about his problems earlier, but now he _will_ , whether he likes it or not, and it’ll be _great!_ He can’t escape from my love now!” He shared his flawless plan before zipping towards the doors.

“How are you gonna make him feel better?!” Bomb hollered since his pal was now a few feet away and he didn’t feel like getting up. His voice alerted the birds nearby, making them have no choice but to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“I dunno!” Chuck also said loudly, his last announcement being made as he ran backwards out the doors: “I’ll think of something on the way there!”

He did not think of something on the way there, as he reached his destination in five seconds. It didn’t stop him from knocking on the door repeatedly.

“Red!” Ten knocks. _“Re-e-ed!”_ Twenty knocks. But no response, not even a typical, throat-destroying Red grunt.

Pressing the side of his head to the surface, Chuck tried making sense of what he could hear: popcorn kernels popping, that _‘Angels’_ song— which is _NOT_ titled _‘Arms of an Angel’_ , ...aaand coughing, most likely from eating all that popcorn. Oh no. It seemed that Red was having one of _those_ nights. Chuck had seen the different ways that Red coped during his worst nights, and thankfully this wasn’t one of the worst, but that didn’t mean that this one was unimportant.

Good thing he got there just in time. Red needed a pick-me-up pronto.

More knocking on the door didn’t do anything to open it, but he did hear a groan, which made him smile the slightest amount. At least it was _some_ form of answering.

They had been friends for, like, a year at this point. And being friends with someone for, like, a year at this point meant that sneaking in through their window was acceptable. At the very least, it was necessary to do when you know they need help and the door won’t open, right? Right.

And, yes, Red _needed_ his help, Chuck was sure of that when seeing him laying down on the floor, basically choking on popcorn and drowning in a pool of melted butter. And he _especially_ needed the help when, upon realizing that Chuck was now in his house, Red jumped back and began actually choking on his popcorn deathbed.

True friends were ones that are there to save you when you’re choking on popcorn.

Once that was over, Red relaxed his breathing, and stood up, as did Chuck. Red cleared his throat and reached for whatever was left of the melted butter in its measuring cup. “Why... How come... Th-...” Chuck could see that he was very tired. “What.” He gulped down the butter and set the cup on a nearby seat, also turning off the radio in the process.

“ _Red!_ Why’d you just leave the- ...butter dripping from the side of your beak...” Staring at it, Chuck winced in disgust. “Oh, honey.”

Grunting and rolling his eyes, Red wiped his beak, making Chuck squirm even more, thinking about how it was still on his wing. He needed to have a talk with Red about feather maintenance.

In a matter of seconds, Chuck ran to the kitchen and came back with a handful of both wet and dry paper towels. He continued talking while he scrubbed the devil butter off of Red’s face and wing, taking it as an opportunity clean him up in general. Butter was everywhere, popcorn was everywhere. Chuck didn’t even _like_ popcorn to begin with, but that was the least of the problems here. “Why’d you just leave the speed dating event?! Wasn’t it fun?! It _was_ fun!”

_“Aww._ Good for you.” Tilting his head, Red smiled at Chuck condescendingly. “Maybe you should go back, like right now.“

“Still haven’t answered meee,” Chuck said in a sing-song voice. Finishing his cleaning, he threw the stack of used paper towels behind his back.

“Okay, so no. It wasn’t fun. So, _there_.” Red waved his wings for emphasis. “You happy now?”

“I’m always happy!” Chuck grinned for a second, before switching back to a concerned expression. “But my first question, though! Why did you leave?!”

“I’m-“ Red sputtered. “B-Because it wasn’t fun?! What don’t you understand?!”

“ _Whyyy?”_ Grabbing both of Red’s wings, Chuck whined.

“ _Whyyy-“_ Red mocked his friend as closely as possible before returning to his annoyed state, “-do you care?”

“Why do I...” Eyes widening, Chuck immediately let go of Red’s wings, gasping loudly and bringing a wing to his own chest with dramatic flair. If there were a camera, Red would be looking right at it. “ _Red!_ We’re friends! Of course I care! And I care that you just walked out of something that we thought you’d like!”

“How?! _How_ did you think I’d like that?!”

“O- _kaaay_.” Chuck squeaked out. “I figured you wouldn’t _really_ like it, but it was worth a try because you haven’t dated! Like, ever! I mean, as far as I know, anyway. And for _months_ , girls would ask you out, and you’d be like-” Chuck mimicked Red the best way he knew how: crossing his arms, furrowing his brows, pouting, and lowering his voice. “ _‘Hmph. They just like that I’m a hero. I see through them, I’m smart._ ’” Chuck reset his voice and expression back to normal. “And now you’re just some guy and the speed dating thing was happening tonight, so it was perfect!”

“Get out of my house.” Red’s words slipped out, but didn’t seem to regret saying them. Chuck’s face fell, not knowing what he said that was so wrong, that it was now getting him kicked out.

“What? No!” Chuck dug his talons into the ground as Red tried pushing him out the door. “I’m sorry! Come on, please just tell me what’s wrong! At least one thing! I wanna help you!”

“No!” Red pushed harder as Chuck used his arms and legs to hang on to the door frame. He quickly realized he was too exhausted to continue putting in so much effort, and Chuck noticed, too.

With more growing concern, Chuck spoke gently and turned his head to face him. “...Can we just talk a bit? I don’t like seeing you like this.”

“...Fine, but you’re leaving right after this.” Red rolled his eyes, making his way towards the couch. “Don’t turn this into some kinda therapy sess-“ Before he could finish, Chuck was already seated cross-legged, wearing his reading glasses, and ready to take notes. “...Don’t.”

“Alright, Red.” Judging by the way that Chuck spoke, Red could tell that he completely ignored what he just said, and was pretennding to be a therapist. “Our earlier meeting was cut short due to your reluctance, and it was gonna be about whatever it is you’re afraid of-“

“I’m not afraid of anything.” Red said, almost too quickly.

“Yep, I already have that written down from earlier. I prescribed a fun night out with the boys, but apparently that wasn’t enough. _However_ , you were specifically supposed to spend time with me.”

“And?”

Briefly breaking character, Chuck gleefully threw his wings up. “Here I am! And you know what that means?”

“Yeah, I don’t think I really wanna kno-“

Scooting in way too close to his friend, Chuck whispered. “It’s Chuck time.” He grinned widely with his tongue sticking out the side, a stark contrast to Red’s scowl. After clearing his throat, Chuck spoke normally, abandoning his therapist persona, but he still wore the glasses. “So, what’s up? Tell me at least one of your _teeny-tiny_ problems, ‘cuz I’m not leaving until you do!” He lightly kicked Red’s leg.

“Uh.” Red looked away in thought. “My back hurts...?”

“Have you tried buying a new nest? Placed extra pillows under you while you sleep? Maybe-”

“Nope! Well, thanks so much for all your help!” Giving two thumbs up, Red stood up, grabbing Chuck’s wing and trying to yank him off of the couch. “Have a good night!”

“The dating!” Chuck yelled out, making Red stop in his tracks out of sheer confusion. Before he could respond to that, he was yanked backwards by the wing, making his back hit the couch. “Tell me about the dating stuff and I’ll leave, I promise!”

Red sat up more comfortably in his seat, stretching his torso a bit. “Now that’s really gonna make my back hurt... And, what?”

“It’s just what I wanna know more about since I’m just so lost. Like, yeah, speed dating isn’t your speed— _haha_ —, okay sorry, no more jokes. But what _is?_ Are you just not looking for someone? And if you are, then what do you like?” Chuck prodded.

There was a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it reaction from Red right before turning his head. Chuck hardly ever blinked, so he knew well that he saw it, but he couldn’t quite place what it was.

Therefore, Chuck needed to know immediately! Sharing what you feel with someone is bound to improve your mood at least a little, and anyone could tell that Red had a _looot_ to get off of his chest. Plus, this would make the two grow even closer!

“Ooh! What is it?” Chuck held his wing. “Tell me! Tell me! _Pleeease!_ ” He wagged his tail, as it often did when he was excited. Would ‘excited’ be the right word here? He wasn’t _glad_ that Red was burdened by... whatever it is that he was hiding... _But he wanted to know oh so badly_. He gasped. “ _Oh_ , I got it! You like someone! Do you like someone? You _do_ like someone! Do I know her?”

“No! I just...” Making little circles on his forehead with two fingers, Red groaned. “It’s nothing.”

Cupping Red’s face in both of his wings, and resisting the urge to do or say anything concerning his cute chubby cheeks, Chuck resulted to desperate measures: puppy-dog eyes.

“ _Pweeease?”_ Failing to look away or even to just close his eyes, Red found himself surrendering to the deep sea of green that drowned him.

“Alright, fine! Don’t tell _anyone_ , though.”

“My beak is sealed!” Letting go of the other bird, Chuck pretended that he was zipping his beak shut, and returned to sitting at a more acceptable distance, patiently waiting for a big confession that would no doubt change the way he viewed Red, judging by how odd his friend was acting about this.

With a deep breath in and out, Red was finally ready to admit it. “I... I like...”

And then he leaned over to his friend, and he whispered. He sat back, lowering his head, nervously awaiting for feedback.

“Pfft.” Chuck snickered.

“What?”

“That’s all?”

Crossing his wings, Red attempted to look angrier, but was clearly still shaken from opening up to someone. _“What.”_

“Not any guy in particular? Just guys in gener-...” The new information finally sunk into Chuck’s brain. Grinning smugly, he slid closer to his friend. “ _Ooh?_ Is that so?”

Red didn’t take the physical contact as anything out of the ordinary. “...Shut up.”

“You’re so cute!” Now hugging Red’s wing, Chuck giggled. “Why’d you feel so bad about that? We like ‘em too!”

“I mean, I just pushed it down for so long, and I don’t even know if I like _just_ them, or _also_ them, or...”

“And, that’s fine!” Closing his eyes, Chuck snuggled his wing some more. “Your secret’s safe with me until you’re ready to-“

“...Or maybe I don’t like them at all.”

“Huh?”

“Uh, maybe I’m just mixing things up and don’t actually like... Um. Like...”

His words weren’t cut off by other ones, but by Chuck ever so gently placing a wing on his knee. Red found his eyes traveling upwards, until he met Chuck’s half-lidded ones. Whatever was going on, it was making his face burn immensely.

Chuck was confident, of course, but a very loud and in-your-face example of it. This... _relaxed_ and casual confidence almost made him seem like a completely different guy. He spoke in an understated tone as well. “You like that?”

Red gulped, his voice now cracking: “...You move fast.”

“Kinda my thing.” After a wink, Chuck’s wing slowly moved up the side of Red’s leg, just barely touching him.

Red trembled before impulsively pushing Chuck to the corner of the couch, much rougher than intended. Chuck’s mind immediately processed this as an idyllic scenario where a totally-just-for-practice make out session would commence, and Red could keep ‘exploring’... Chuck could dream. And dreaming was all he could do, seeing as this thought never came into fruition.

Chuck didn’t remember having closed his eyes, but once opening them and sitting up to face the other bird, what he saw was Red, riddled with regret, but projecting anger.

“ _WHY DID YOU...”_ Taking a moment to swallow any anger, Red’s face only showed regret. “Flock, I’m sorry. I should’ve just told you to stop. I swear, it’s like I forgot how to speak.”

“I’m sorry, too... Sooo...” Chuck’s eyes shifted around. “You didn’t like it?”

“Is that all you care about?” Red glared at him.

“Of course not, I just need to know...”

“I...” Now shifting his eyes as well, Red cleared his throat. “...Didn’t ... _not_ like it... But, why’d you do it?”

Smiling, Chuck jumped in his seat. “So, you _liked_ it?!”

“YEAH!” Red threw his wings up, both in defeat and to prevent Chuck from getting any closer to him for the time being. “Okay, yes. And?”

After happily, and rapidly, clapping his wings a dozen times, Chuck gave him a big thumbs up. “You like guys! Congrats! Always knew you had it in you.”

“Always knew...” Red muttered to himself, but Chuck could tell that maybe that wasn’t the best choice of words. “But! _But._ What if I’m just not used to physical contact, and-“

“Red.” Chuck placed a wing on his shoulder. “You like guys.”

“I like guys...” Red’s barely-audible words might have slipped out, but Chuck was overjoyed to see a tiny smile begin to form on his beak shortly after saying it. “Okay, question, though: Again, why? Like, there _had_ to have been a different ways to let me know for sure instead of... that.”

Chuck held a finger up, about to say something, but instead getting lost in his thoughts. Which hardly ever happened, like, who had the time to just stop and think?

Did he have feelings for Red? Sure. So, was that why he put the moves on Red? Well, ...no, actually. It was just his first instinct to see how Red reacted to that. At the same time, it was likely that his feelings for Red _were_ the reason that this was his first instinct... _But telling Red how he felt, especially right now, would complicate things even more. Ugh!_

While Chuck was internally debating his thoughts, he stood as stiff as a statue, which was the first time... _ever_ in which he was completely still. All this time, Red blankly stared at him, not knowing what to do or what was happening.

Red waved a wing in front of Chuck’s eyes. “Hellooo?”

Chuck quickly changed into a shrugging pose, his moving making a scared Red yelp. “Dunno!”

“Wh-“

“Dunno why I did that! The touching, I mean. You know I’m real gay and just kinda do things, y’know?” That wasn’t a lie or the truth. Chuck smiled widely.

“Okay...” Red slowly walked closer, examining his body language. “Now _you’re_ def hiding something. Out with it.”

“Well! Would you look at the time!” Taking a step back, Chuck looked at his invisible watch. “I have to be at the thing at the place!”

When Chuck ran out the door, he didn’t think it was going to be a problem, it wasn’t like Red would be able to catch up to him. What he didn’t expect was to run into a... rubbery material? One that was bouncy enough to send him flying back into Red’s house.

Sitting up and holding his now-throbbing head up, Chuck found the reason for what just happened.

“Ouch.” Leonard said, just barely fitting through the door frame. He smiled. “Hellooo!”

Although the pig tried to seem friendly, both birds screamed, immediately trying to push him back outside.


End file.
